Oakland Raiders notebook: Coach Dennis Allen leaves team to be with his ailing father

OAKLAND -- Raiders coach Dennis Allen left the team after the game to be with his father, who is seriously ill in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

Allen held his usual postgame news conference after a 20-17 loss to the Cleveland Browns at O.co Coliseum without mentioning any issues of a personal nature.

Once Allen concluded, a Raiders spokesman said, "Coach Allen coached this game with a pretty heavy heart because his dad, Grady, is in very serious condition. (He) will depart tonight to be with his dad."

The Raiders are on a short week with a home game Thursday night against the Denver Broncos, who have clinched the AFC West with a 9-3 record. Allen is expected to return Wednesday night and coach the game.

In the meantime, offensive coordinator Greg Knapp will run practices in Allen's absence and take the lead role in the day-after news conference Monday at the team facility in Alameda.

Grady Allen, 66, played football at Texas A&M, as his son would later. He played five seasons in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons.

Allen did not mention his father's illness when talking with the team after the game. Players learned Allen would be leaving through members of the media relations department.

Tight end Brandon Myers had 14 receptions, tying a team record set by Tim Brown against Jacksonville in 1997. Myers gained 130 yards, scored a 17-yard touchdown and now has 69 receptions this season.

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Myers' reception total is more catches than Pro Bowl predecessor Zach Miller ever had in a season (66), and only Todd Christensen has had more catches as a tight end in franchise history. Christensen had more than 69 receptions four times. It is the most catches by a Raiders receiver since Jerry Porter had 76 in 2005.

Running backs Darren McFadden and Mike Goodson worked out before the game but were not active. Allen said he expected both to play Thursday.

Running back Jeremy Stewart had 46 yards on nine carries, and the Raiders averaged 5.0 yards per carry, but deficits of 10-3 and 13-3 in the third quarter were deemed too large for them to stick with the run.

"I don't make the play-calls," Stewart said. "I feel like we did a good job running the ball, but we had success passing the ball, too. I feel like we've got to find a way to pull it out, get a 'W.' "

Kicker Sebastian Janikowski was wide right on a 61-yard field goal attempt just before halftime. He's 24 for 26 on field goal attempts this season, with the misses coming from 64 and 61 yards.

Of his last 20 attempts from 40 yards or more, Janikowski has 16 conversions, with the only misses coming from 59, 61, 64 and 65 yards.

Carson Palmer had his 10th 300-yard passing game since joining the Raiders, completing 34 of 54 for 351 yards. The Raiders are 1-9 in those games.

Wide receiver Denarius Moore was benched in the third quarter after a dropped pass that drew boos from the crowd. His replacement, Rod Streater, caught a 64-yard touchdown pass from Palmer three plays later. Moore caught two passes for 31 yards.

"He dropped a couple of balls, and we have to make plays when we get those opportunities," Allen said.

Also benched temporarily was cornerback Ron Bartell, victimized for a 44-yard touchdown pass from Brandon Weeden to Josh Gordon. Phillip Adams went in for Gordon and intercepted a pass from Weeden on a sideline throw.

Bartell re-entered the game when Adams went out with a concussion.

Middle linebacker Omar Gaither had a quiet game in place of suspended starter Rolando McClain, making two tackles.

"It could have been better. I felt a second slower, as far as reacting, in the first half," Gaither said. "I guess that's why you go through training camp, all the OTAs. As far as how I played, I don't know ... I don't think it was the worst outing ever."